Machine for making chain.



Patented Aug. 26, |902.

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

L. WIRTZ.

NAGIIINE FOR MAKING CHAIN. (Applimion med nb. 25,4902.)

(nu nodal.)

No. 707,750. Patented Aug. 26, |902.

L. WIRTZ.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAIN.

(Application med Feb. 2s, 1'902.)

(No Model.) m 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N0. 707,750. Paten'td Aug. 26, |902.

L. WIRTZ.

MACHINE FDR MAKING CHAIN.)

(Application led Feb. 25, 1902) (No Model.)

,m78 6 h41!h .r f- J 8 7 Jl '9 in( (7 l u I 1/ 'lll /l T4 I m! f 5] m5 Inl/mini: i 74M (No Model.)

Patented Aug. 26, |902. L. WIRTZ.

MACHINE FOR `MAKING CHAIN.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1902.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUIS VIRTZ, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAlN.

SPECIFICATION :forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,750, dated August 2 5, 1902.

Application filed February 25, 1902. Serial No. 95,537. (N0 model-l' T0 @ZZ whom, t may con/cern:

, Be it known that I, LUIS VIRTZ, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing` at 62 Upper Tollington Park, in the county of London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Chain, of which the following is a speci- Iication.

This invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

According to the invention the links instead of being made of separate pieces of metal rod, as heretofore, are each made of wire of steel or wrought-iron coiled a'sufticient number of times to make a link of the desired thickness, the coiled wire being then subjected to hydraulic pressure to weld it into a link. Prior to its being coiled the wire is advantageously heated, electrically or otherwise, to give it the necessary temperature to enable it to be welded. j

To enable my invention to be fully under stood, I will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a suitable machine for the manufacture of chain according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan, and Fig. 3 a sectional end elevation, of the saine; and Figs. et to 13 are details, hereinafter described.

ct is a drum supported in bearings a' in standards d0, and upon which drum is coiled the wire A, from which the chain is to be formed. The bearings a' are each provided with a hinged cap d2, which can be turned back from the position shown in Fig. l to enable the drum from which all the wire has been used to be removed and another full one substituted.

b is a matrix or die on which the wire A is coiled to form a link, the said die being somewhat inthe form of a grooved pulley, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, which is a vertical section of the said die and adjoining parts, the metal at the bottom of the groove being ofthe shape of the inner surface of a link. The said die is formed in halves, which when moved apart enable the finished link to be released, the joint between the halves when together being midway between the flanges of the die. As shown in Fig. 4 and also in Fig. 5, which is a sectional side elevation showing the die and adjoining parts, the die b is provided with an elongated central opening bo and with slots bX in eachof its flanges, the said slots serving to allow a link B already formed to be inclosed in position in the said die, while the opening allows the said die to be then rotated through the link to wind the wire A to form the next link. The wire A passes from the drum CL between guide-pulleys d3 a3, pulleys a4 a5, around guide-pulleys a d6, and between pulleys a" as to the die b, the pulleys d5 as being of porcelain or other material which is a non-conductor of electricity and the pulleys a4 and a7 of copper or other good conducting material. The pulleys a* and cf are carried by brackets a9 a, forming` extensions of the standards co d0, supporting the drum @,while the pulleys di and as are carried by a bracket d10 on the main frame c of the machine. The pulleys a and CLT are kept pressed against the pulleys c5 and as by springs all, binding-posts cl2 being attached to the brackets a9 and d10, to which are connected the wires from a dynamo or other source of electricity, by which a current is generated to pass through the portion of the wire Aextending between the pulleys t4-and Ya7 to produce the requisite heat in the wire to enable it to be subsequently welded intoa link. The drum ct and the frame c of the machine and its connections are insulated to prevent any leakage ot' the electric current.

The pulleys a5 and as are mounted upon `shafts C013 and am, respectively, carrying sprocket-wheels (L15 and d1, connected by a chain d, the said wheels being of such dim ensions that the wire is fed by the two pairs of pulleys at the saine rate of speed, so as to avoid any distortion of the heated wire. The shaft al* is driven from the main shaft d of the machine through the medium of the sprocket-wheel d,chain d2, sprocket-wl1eel d3, shaft c, clutch c, sprocket-wheel e2, chain e3, and sprocket-wheel e, the clutch e' being operated from the cain-groove e0 in a cam-cylinder f through the medium of aclutch-lever eX.

The die b is formed with circular flanges IOO b b', Fig. 4, so that it can rotate in bearings b2 b2 to enable the wire A to be coiled, each of the halves of the die being provided with a ring of gear-teeth b3, designed to be rotated from the shaft c through the medium of a gear-wheel h4, shaft b5, bevel-wheels h6, shaft 57, sprocket-wheel 198, chain b9, and sprocketwheel Z910, Figs. 2 and 3.

The bearings 19252 are formed in cylindrical framings g g, Fig. 2, provided with eXtensions g g', designed to slide in guides g2 g2, whereby the two halves of the die b can be moved toward or away from one another, as hereinafter described. Suitable means for effecting the said sliding movement on the halves of the die b are shown in Fig. 2 and also in Fig. 6, which is a section on the line 6 of Fig. 2 to a larger scale, and comprise levers g5 g3, jointed at one end lo the framings g g and at the other end engaging with cam-grooves g4 g4 in the cam-cylinder f.

As the winding of the wire on the die b is intermittently performed while the main shaft CZ is continuously rotated, the clutch e serves for starting and stopping it at the required moment, and as a definite number of coils of the wire A is required to form one complete link it is necessary to stop the rotation ofthe die simultaneously with the operation of the clutchthat is to say, to prevent the die overrunning. Suitable means for this purpose comprise stop-pins h, Fig. 6, on the pinions which mesh with the bevel-gear h6 and levers h', carried on the framings g g, having shoulders or projections h2, designed to be interposed in the paths of the stop-pins Zt, the said levers being actuated in one direction to stop the said bevel-pinions by the one ends of the levers h3, the other ends of which are actuated by cam-grooves h4 in the carneylinder f and in the opposite direction by springs h5. To form the outer su rface of each link, I employ outer dies i t' t', Figs. 1 and 5, and on the ends of rams i t 7l', the said rams being advantageously threein number, arranged at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees to one another, the dies i it' being shaped so that when brought together, as shown in Fig. l, they inelose a space corresponding to the periphery of the link to be formed, the heated wire coiled on the die b being pressed by the said dies Z 1,' t' to form the link. One of the dies Z---for instance, the upper one-is formed with a suitable cutting edge 110, designed to sever the wire as the said dies meet together to form the link.

are hydraulic rams, which I employ for supporting the halves of the die Z9 while pressure is imparted to the wire A on the said die b to form the link, the said rams working horizontally. These rams slide through and serve as additional supports for the cylindrical frames g g, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The ends of the ramsjy are formed with projeetionsjj', designed to enter the opening bo of the die, with recesses i2 t7'2 to iit over the link B already formed and with projections j3 j, which enter the slots ZY( bx, these proj ections serving to complete the die b and prevent thelink from being squeezed out through the openings bx bx.

Fig. '7 is a sectional plan showing the die ZJ and the ends of the two rams j, and Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the ramsj.

Fig. 9 is a View somewhat similar to Fig. 5, showing the Wire A coiled on the die Z) to form a link.

The rams t" 'i' 'Z' and work in hydraulic cylinders k 7c, Figs. l, 2, and 3, and are connected to smaller and opposing rams ZZ, working in hydraulic cylinders Z' Z, the waterpressure being constantly exerted on the face of the rams Z Z, while the Water-pressure is allowed to act upon the larger rams only when it is required to force them out to form alink, the supply to the cylinders k 7c being cut 0E and the water therein allowed to exhaust when it is required to withdraw the rams after the formation of the link, the pressure upon the rams Z Z effecting such withdrawal.

For controlling the supply of water to the cylinders Ze 7c of the rams t" 'i' t" I employ two rotary plug-valves 'm fm', Fig. l, the valve m serving to admitthe wateibpressure from the common supply-pipe m2 through the pipes m3 to the cylinders Zr; Zo k of the said rams, 4while the valve fm serves to allow of the discharge of the Water from the said cylinders back through the pipes m3 and into the common discharge-pipe m4. The valves m and m are arranged upon a common stem designed to be actuated from a caliigroove m5 in the camcylinderfthrough the medium of gear-wheels m6 and lever m7, the outer end of which engages the said cam-groove, the said valves being so arranged that when one is open the other is closed. The hydraulic cylinders Zr. k of the ramsjj are controlled by valves similar to the valves m m and operated in a similar manner from a cam-groove m8 in the camcylinderf, as shown in Fig. 2, the common supply-pipe for the water-pressure being shownat m9. the rams Zare supplied with Water-pressure from a common pipe n through the medium of branch pipes n', valves n2 being arranged in connection therewith to shut off the supply of water when required. After a link is formed the dies Z t' i are withdrawn from the link and the ramsjj are moved just clear of the die b, so that the latter can turn the slot ZJX from the highest to its lowest point (shown in Fig. 5) in order that the link previously formed can pass through the said slot when the halves of the die b are opened to enable the finished link to fall between them. The newly-formed link then falls and rests upon the upper ends of two springblades 0 0, which are in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. lO, which is a sectional elevation indicating the newly-formed link C after having been pressed by the dies t' t z'. The said spring-blades 0 o are caused to assume the position shown in the full lines in the said ICO IIO

The hydraulic cylinders of all figure and in Fig. l while the said dies are pressing the link.

In order that the newly-formed link shall be placed in position between the halves of the die b so that another link can be formed to engage therewith, it is necessary that the said newly-formed link after the dies have opened to release it shall move down and at the same time be turned through an angle of ninety degrees in order that when the halves of the die again come together the said link will pass through the slot hX and engage the opening bo, as indicated in Fig. 5. For effecting this turning movement I advantageously arrange the spring-blades o o, which support the newly-formed link, on a hollow cylinder o 'in a bearing Yo0 in the frame c, through which the chain as :it is formed can pass, the interior of this cylinder being provided with a portion of a female screw-thread 02, Fig. l, engaging with a corresponding male thread o3 on a cylinder 04, fixed to the lower part of the frame c, so that by rotating' the cylinder o through an angle of ninety degrees it will be moved longitudinally on its axis. For rotating the cylinder O'I advantageously make use of a ram Z of one of the ramsjj, as shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose the cylinder 0' is keyed by a sliding key OXX to another cylinder 05, which is prevented from moving longitudinally on its axis. This cylinder o5 is caused to rotate by the movement of the outer end of the said ram Z through the medium of gear-teeth oG on the said cylinder, rack 07, link 0S,and lever 09, the end of the rod of the rack o7 where it engages the link 08 being slotted, as at 010, for a purpose hereinafter described.

To prevent the weight of the chain after a great many links have been made from being wholly supported upon the spring-blades o 0, which are comparatively weak, I arrange an intermediate table or support p, which will take the Weight of the greater part of the chain, only a few links being carried by the l spring-blades o. As, however, the movement of each newly-formed link through an angle of ninety degrees would twist the chainand interfere with its delivery from the machine, I provide for turning the table?) also through an angle of ninety degrees to correspond with the movement of the newly-formed link. This is advantageously effected by forming the table with a ring of ratchet-teeth p on its upper surface, with which engages a pawl p2 on the cylinder 05, so that the latter at the same time that it rotates and lowers the newlyformed link will rotate the table p to correspond, while in its backward movement-that is to say, after it has left the newly-formed p link in position for engaging with the halves of the die b when they lagain close-and as it moves upwardly will draw the pawl p2 back over the teeth p/ Without rotating the table p. Before the halves of the'die b again close it is necessary that the wire A should be inserted between their central projecting portions, so

as to loek gripped thereby, in order that the die l) can again wind the wire to form another link.v This preliminary movement of the wire I advantageously effect through the medium of one of the rams t in its backward movement after pressing the last link, and for this purposelprovide it with an arm q, Figs. l and 2, carrying a pawl q', which comes into engagement with a ratchet-wheel (fon the shaft a of the feed-pulley a8. In order that this movement can be effected without operating the sprocket-wheels d and d3, and consequently the shaft e, I advantageously arrange a pawl r, Figs. 2 and Il, upon the sprocket-wheel@16 and a ratchet-wheel?1l in connection with the sprocket-wheel d', so that as the pulley as is rotated by the pawl q the pawl 1' will be caused to override the ratchet-wheel r. I arrange for cooling the die b by means of water, and for this purpose I advantageously providethe ends of the ramsjj with holes ss', Figs. 4 and S, through which holes the water can flow on to the exterior of the die, the said holes being in connection with the supply-pipe s', Fig. 3, by means of flexible pipes S2 s2, a third pipe s3, connected with the pipe s, serving to discharge water into the groove in the die b. The supply of water through the pipe s is advantageously controlled by a plug-valve s4 from one of the rams Z of one of the horizontal ramsj through the medium of an arm S5 on the said ram and a link s6, connecting the said arm with the handle of the valve s4.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assume the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. -thatis to say, with the halves of the die l) gripping the end of the wire Abetween their central portions, the rams t" /t'l/L" and j 7 in their retracted positions, the projecting portions h2 h2 of the levers h h in engagement with the stop-pins h of the pinions of the bevel-gear h6, and the ends of the levers ggigg, cx, h3 h3, and m7 m7 in their respective cam-grooves in the position shown in Fig. l2, which is a development of the surface of the cam-cylinder-g. The said cam g is now rotated in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 1 and l2, and will cause the levers h3 71,3 through the medium of the inclines l I l 0f the cam-grooves h4 7i* and e0 to disengage projecting portions h2 of the lever 7L from the stoppins 7L andl at the same time operate the clutch-lever eX to throw the clutch e/ into gear, and thereby rotate the die b to wind the necessary amount of heated wire A thereon to form a link, as shown in Fig. 9.r The inclines 2 2 2 of the said grooves will then cause the clutch-lever eX to disengage the clutch e and the levers h3 h3 to again insure the stopping of the pinions of the bevel-gears ha to stop the winding of the wire A, the die b stopping with the slots 5X at the top, as shown in Fig. 9. The incline 3 of the cam-groove m8 then operates the lever m7 to admit water to the cylinders 7a of the rams jj, which will then move against the die l), their projections TOO IIO

t7'3 enteringthe slots bx of the said die. The incline 4 of the cam-groove m5 then operates on the other lever m7 to admit water to the hydraulic cylinders 7c of the rams d'7" 7", which are then consequently moved forward to press the heated wire by the dies 'L' t t' so as to form a homogeneous link C, as shown in Fig. lO. The incline 5 of the cam-groove m5 then operates the lever m7 to shut oif the Water to the cylinders k of the rams t" t" t", so that the water-pressure on the rams l Z causes them to be retracted. The double incline 6 of the cam-groove m8 then admits water to the cylinders k of the rams jj to retract them clear of the die b, the slot 010 in the outer end of the rack-bar o7 allowing of this movement without rotating the cylinder o. The double inclines 7 7 7 of the cam-grooves h4 h4 and e0 then again throw the clutch e into gear and allow the die ZJ to revolve sufficiently to bring the slot b in the said die into its lowermost position, as indicated in Fig. 5. The inclines 8 8 8 of the cam-grooves g4 g4 and m8 then operate, respectively, the levers g3 g3 and m7 to withdraw the haves of the die b and to admit water to the hydraulic cylinders k to complete the backward movement Ofthe ramsjj, the finished link at the same time being revolved through an angle of ninety degrees and lowered so as to bring it into position to engage the slots hX of the dich when itis again closed. The inclines 9 9 of the cam-grooves g4 gi then act upon the levers g3 g3 to again close the dies and grip the end of the wire A, which had previously been fed sufliciently forward for the purpose by backward movement by one of the rams t, as hereinbefore described, thus completing the cycle of operation for the formation of one link. The operation then begins again de nooo.

In order that when all the wire A on the feed-drum has been exhausted the machine shall be automatically stopped, I provide means for effecting this electrically. Suitable means for this purpose comprise an electromagnet t, Figs. l and 13, arranged in the electric circuit for heating the wire A and having a pivoted armature t', provided with an extension designed to engage with a shoulder t? on a collar t3 on a bar t4, sliding in guides t5 and provided with a fork t to embrace the driving-belt t7, passing around the drivingpulley 15S of the shaft d. So long as the wire A extends between the pulleys a4 and a7, so as to complete the electric circuit, the magnet t attracts the armature t; but when the circuit is broken by the end of the wire A having passed from contact with the pulley d4 the armature t' is released fromv the attraction of the magnet t by a spring t9, thus allowing the collar t3 to be moved bya spring lo and shift the belt t7 from the driven pulley t8 to a loose pulley tu. For rengaging the collar t3 with the armature t I advantageously provide a screw u, engaging a female screwthread in one of the guides 255 and provided with a hand-wheel n', so that by rotating the said screw it will force the collar t3 back until the armature i rengages it, an incline u2 on the said collar serving to allow the armature to ride overthe collarinto position behind the shoulder t2. The hand-wheel u is then turned back, so as to retract the screw u into the position shown in Fig. 13.

In addition to the means for automatically stopping the machine I arrange a telltale to notify the fact. Means suitable for this purpose comprise an electromagnet 7J in the electric circuit in series with the magnet t, the armature fu of which magnet 7; when the circuit is broken in the manner hereinbefore described is arranged to close the circuit ofV a local battery and ring a bell o2.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is l. In a machine for the manufacture of chain, the combination of wire-feeding mechanism, of a grooved die on which the wire is coiled, of means for rotating the die, of aseries of outer dies for entering the groove and pressing the coils so as to Weld them together' to form a link and means for operating the dies, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for the manufacture of chain, the combination of means for heating wire, of a grooved die onto which the heated wire is coiled, the said die being in halves to release the link subsequently formed thereon, of means for moving the halves relatively, of means for rotating the die, of a series of outer dies for entering the groove and pressing the coils so as to weld them together to form a link, of means for operating the said outer dies, of rams or supports for the halves of the die while the pressure is being exerted and of means for operating them substan tially as described.

3. In a machine for the manufacture of chain the combination of means for heating a wire and feeding the same toa grooved die on which the heated wire is coiled, the said die beingin halves to release the link subsequently formed thereon and having slots to embrace the last-formed link, of means for moving the halves of the die relatively, of means for rotating the die, of a series of outer dies for entering the groove and pressing the coils so as to weld them together to form a link, of means for operating the said outer dies, of rams or supports for the halves of the die while the pressure is being exerted, the said rams having projections for entering the slots in the grooved die, and of means for operating the said rams, substantially as described.

st. In a machine for the manufacture of chain the combination of means for electrically heating a wire, and for feeding the same, of a grooved die on which the heated wire is coiled, the said diebeing in halves to release the link subsequently formed thereon and having slots to embrace the last-formed link,

IOO

IOS

IIO

IIS

romeo of means for rotating` the die, of a series of outer dies for entering the groove and pressing` the coils so as to Weld them together to form a link, of means for operating` the said outer dies, of rams or supports for the halves of the die While the pressure is being' exerted, the said rams having projections for entering the slots in the grooved die, of means for operating the said rams, of a support for receiving the finished link and turning and lowering it into position to be engaged by the next formed link and of means for operating the support, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for the manufacture of chain the combination of means for electrically heating a Wire and for feeding the same, of a grooved die on which the heated wire is coiled, the said die being formed in halves to release the link subsequently formed thereon and with slots to embrace the last-formed link, of means for moving the halves of the die relatively, 'of means for rotating the die, of a series of outer dies for entering the groove and pressing the coils so as to Weld them together to form a link, of means for operating the said outer dies, of rams or supports for the halves of the die while the pressure is being exerted, the said rams having projections for entering the slots in the grooved die, of means for operating the said rains, of a support for receiving the nished link and turning` and lowering it into position to be engaged by the next formed link, of means for operating the said support, of a table to receive the chain as it is formed and turn it to correspond with the movement of the last-formed link and of means for turning` the table, substantially as described.

LUIS VIRTZ. lVitnesses:

JOHN E. BoUsFInLD, C. G. REDFERN. 

